The UCC and Media Justice:
The Next 100 Years
Cheryl Leanza, Sara Fitzgerald, Earl Williams
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Media reform is about creating
an infrastructure for social
justice.
Use the media you have, create
the media you want.
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UCC OC Inc.: The Untold Story
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How Did We Get Started?
 1959: UCC communications director Everett C. Parker talks
with Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
 Begins campaign to improve TV stations in the South to aid
the civil rights movement
 Monitors TV stations in dangerous times
 Pursues extensive legal proceedings at the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) and court to establish
the public’s right to hold broadcasters accountable
 License of WLBT-TV in Jackson Mississippi is taken away
because of the station’s record of racist practices
 The Result: Ordinary people now have standing to
participate
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OC Inc. Today
 Continue to advocate on issues related to media
justice and media reform
 Primarily in Washington, but looking for ways to
better support grass-roots efforts and to engage local
supporters in our work
 Part-time public policy consultant, backed up by
board of directors
 Seeking ways to integrate more effectively with UCC
as a whole, particularly under reorganization
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Annual Everett C. Parker Lecture
 Parker Lecture is the only annual lecture that address
technology and media from an ethical perspective
 This year’s lecture: October 1st, 8 AM, First
Congregational UCC in downtown Washington DC
 Dr. Parker celebrated his 100th birthday this year.
 Hilary Shelton of the NAACP will deliver this year’s
lecture.
 Learn more:
www.uccmediajustice.org/parkerlecture2013
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What’s Wrong with the Media
We Have?
 Our media system is very good, but could be
better
 Not representative of our society
 Reinforces power disparities
 Centralized and highly concentrated decisionmaking
 Opportunities to create content ARE
expanding, but some content is still clearly
more equal than others, even on the Internet.
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Media influence every aspect of
our lives –
values, ethics, behavior, public
policy.
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Former FCC Commissioner
Michael Copps put it well:
“No matter what your first issue is,
media reform needs to be your
second issue.”
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So What Can We Do?
 Congress, the FCC and other agencies develop
media policies that shape our media
 Changing these policies can help put media in the
hands of social justice advocates and help
citizens hold corporate media accountable
 Self-awareness about media and technology
impact can also support advocacy on other
important issues
 Coalitions, advocacy and education!
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Key Opportunities in 2013
 Defend and expand access to a telephone, access to
Internet for low-income people
 End predatory prison phone rates
 Increase media diversity by supporting new lowpower community radio stations
 Protect free speech on the Internet
 Fight hate speech against immigrants and LGBT
community
 Media violence fast in September, other technology
use awareness opportunities
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Access to phones and Internet
 Phone and internet are essential services.
 Access to jobs, education, homework, doctors, health
care portals, caregivers. These are tools that help
people improve their lives.
 Lifeline program is for low-income people—financial
subsidy for phone service.
 Attacks on “Obama phone” unjustified. Reforms in
place, need is great.
 Support expansion to broadband.
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Predatory Prison Phone Rates
 “When I was in prison, you visited me”
 Phone rates to call prison are astronomical – up to 89
cents per minute. Often $300 per month for a weekly
call.
 Money from phone calls is paid to subsidize prisons.
 FCC can end predatory long-distance rates. We must
keep up the public pressure.
 Upcoming workshop July 10.
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Prison Phones: What You Can Do
 Learn more at:
www.uccmediajustice.org/prisonphones
 Learn more about practices in your state, consistent
with our JPANet alert this month.
 Help identify persons who can put a “face” on the
problem
 Arrange to show the motion picture Middle of
Nowhere and use OC Inc.’s discussion guide.
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Media Diversity
 Problem is with both old and new media
 Very few radio stations or TV stations owned by
women and people of color
 For more than 15 years, FCC has delayed proposals to
improve the collection and analysis of data
 UCC OC Inc. on the forefront of successfully
challenging bad decisions in court and at FCC
 We notify our supporters when their voices can be
heard on regulatory proposals.
 We need declarations in July in Portland, Phoenix,
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Seattle, Louisville, Syracuse,
others
Low-Power Radio Stations
 New—and rare—opportunity for churches and
community groups to create radio stations targeted
to underserved communities
 Deadline rapidly approaching: October 2013
 Churches can get their own station, or assist other
groups.
 Provide progressive Christian voice on the airwaves
 Webinar available at:
http://uccmediajustice.org/lpfmaction
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Free and Open Internet
 A new opportunity to build the media we want
without the problems of the current system.
 Today, we create our own content, but we don’t pay
to distribute it like we used to on television.
 Open Internet principles ensure basic protections for
all Internet users.
 Obama FCC took some steps, but not enough. Mobile
web unprotected. Legal challenges attacking
compromise protections.
 National Council of Churches resolution.
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Comparing the Old and New Networks
Centralized Network
Television, Radio, Cable,
Hollywood
Open Interconnected
Network
Current voice telephone,
postal service
Fighting Hate Speech
 UCC OC Inc. often works closely with National
Hispanic Media Coalition, a leader in combatting hate
speech.
 Successful campaign against José Luis “Sin Censura” which
contained violently homophobic content
 Campaign against “John & Ken” Show on Clear Channel
radio stations in Los Angeles for their attacks on
immigrants, LGBT community, people of color
 Future opportunities for UCC members to support
these campaigns via digital advocacy and other tools
19 communities?
 Are there examples in your
Media Violence/Technology Fasts
 Studies have demonstrated a stronger connection
between violence on television and aggressive
behavior in children than between lead exposure and
lower IQs
 On average, our children will see an estimated
100,000 acts of violence on television in the next 10
years
 In conjunction with International Day of Prayers for
Peace, OC Inc. will direct a “violent media fast”
September 15-21, 2013.
 “Screen free week”: May 5-11, 2014.
 Exploring technology Sabbaths and popular education
models for these issues 20
Other Advocacy Areas
 Limiting inappropriate advertising directed at
children, such as marketing that promotes unhealthy
food;
 Promoting greater transparency of money and
politics in televised political ads;
 Helping underrepresented groups take advantage of
new technologies;
 Increased privacy protection for children and others
online.
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Media Justice—
How Can You Help??
 Participate individually on-line
 Write letters, call and meet with legislators
 Leadership role:
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Education and outreach in church
Create materials—sermons, prayers, Synod resolutions
Volunteer to organize others
Write blog posts, share on social media
 SIGN UP TODAY!
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Thanks!
 Find out more:
www.uccmediajustice.org
@UCCMediaJustice on Twitter
www.facebook.com/uccmediajustice
 Cheryl Leanza, cleanza@alhmail.com
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